AG Alan Wilson Joins Lawsuit Against California to Uphold Immigration Law and Protect Public Safety

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – March 26, 2018 - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined the fight against the state of California and its sanctuary cities policy. South Carolina joined a coalition of 18 states which today filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the Trump administration’s lawsuit against California over state laws that intentionally obstruct the federal government’s ability to enforce the nation’s immigration law.

In the brief, the attorneys general highlight a 2012 case where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot stand in the way of federal agents following federal immigration law. In that case (Arizona v. United States), the state of California supported enforcement of federal immigration law.

“I’ve spent my career fighting to uphold the rule of law while California’s sanctuary cities policy thumbs its nose at the rule of law,” Attorney General Wilson said. “States cannot be allowed to ignore federal laws they don’t like, especially when doing so puts public safety at risk.”

“Dangerous sanctuary policies like California’s undermine the rule of law and endanger good law enforcement officers and the communities that need their protection the most,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said. “It is incomprehensible that California finds criminal illegal aliens dangerous enough to detain, but then insists on releasing them back into the community to offend again instead of turning them over to federal immigration authorities for removal. If California prefers different immigration policies, it is free to take them up with the appropriate authority – Congress.”

In contrast to California’s laws, the Texas Legislature passed a law that affirms the right and duty of law enforcement agencies throughout the state to detain individuals pursuant to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement federal detainer program. Last week, virtually all of that law was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5^th Circuit. South Carolina lawmakers are considering bills that would require cities and counties to submit annual reports confirming that they are following federal immigration laws.

Attorney General Wilson joined the friend-of-the-court brief by the attorneys general of Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Governor Phil Bryant of the State of Mississippi, and Paul R. LePage, Governor of Maine.

View the brief here: http://www.scag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/01639410.pdf

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